Description
Layered no-bake bars with a buttery crushed pretzel crust, a silky cream cheese layer, a gooey salted caramel layer, and a swirl of vanilla whipped cream with pretzels on top.
Ingredients
For the crust: 2 cups (about 120 g) crushed pretzels
For the crust: 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, melted
For the crust: 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
For the cream cheese layer: 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened
For the cream cheese layer: 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
For the cream cheese layer: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the caramel layer: 1 cup (about 300 g) caramel sauce
For the caramel layer: 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
For the whipped cream: 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
For the whipped cream: 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
For the whipped cream: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To finish: a few mini pretzels, extra caramel sauce, and a pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
1. Line a 9 x 9-inch (23 x 23 cm) square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. In a bowl, stir the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar together until the crumbs look like wet sand.
3. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. In a cold bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in about half of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture.
6. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chilled crust and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Stir the sea salt into the caramel sauce. Spread it evenly over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the bars are set and easy to slice.
8. Lift the bars out using the parchment and cut into 16 bars with a sharp, clean knife. Pipe or spoon the remaining whipped cream on each bar, and top with a mini pretzel, a drizzle of extra caramel, and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Notes
Based on published no-bake salted caramel pretzel bars: a crushed pretzel and butter crust pressed into a 9 x 9-inch dish (Recipe by Emma), 1 cup of caramel sauce with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (Cooking Leader), and a topping of 1 cup of heavy cream whipped with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla (Yummy Gusto). None of the sources used cream cheese, so the cream cheese layer (8 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and half of the whipped cream folded in) was added to match the finished bars and is an estimate. The butter and sugar amounts in the crust, the chilling times, the finishing garnish, and the yield of 16 bars are estimates, and the recipe has not been tested.
Chill the bars for the full 4 hours so the layers set and slice cleanly. Add the whipped cream topping after slicing.
Use cold heavy cream and a cold bowl so the cream whips to stiff peaks.
Nutrition is an approximate estimate per bar (16 bars).
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 294
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 263mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 52mg